Lubricating apparatus



E. W. DAVIS LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed Aug 6 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l .LZMJZDQMLJ Oct. 7, 1941. E. w. DAvls 2,257,725

LUBRICATING APPARATUS k Filed Aug. 6, 1957 2 shets-shee'c 2 Patented Oct. 7, 1941 LUBRICATIN G APPARATUS Ernest vv. Davis, oak Park, nl.,

Stewart-Warner Corpo corporation of Virginia Application August 6, 1937, Serial No. 157,641

' 7 claims.

The invention relates to lubricating apparatus and more particularly to portable devices for transferring lubricant from a container to a gear housing or the like.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art of lubrication, that it is very impractical to attempt to drain lubricant by gravity from a container into a compartment such as the transmission or differential housing of an automobile. The lubricant levelV plug provided for lling is generally high on the housing or opens at an angle downwardly and is generally surrounded by chassis and body parts which interfere with a gravity iilling.

If tubes are used of sufficient length whereby the container can be moved to a point where it can be held at an elevation above the filler opening, so that gravity may be employed, a goodly quantity of lubricant remains in the tube and the customer does not receive his full measure of lubricant supplied in the container. If other conventional expedients are employed, such dirliculties are encountered as a spilling of lubricant due to the close quarters, inconvenient angles and interfering running gear encountered, and the lubricant runs a serious danger of becoming contaminated by caked dirt and grit knocked off or jarred loose from the running gear of the automobile.

'Ihese dangers and difficulties are particularly manifest with lubricant for hypoid gears where the lubricant is generally made special for each make of car and is sold in refinery sealed quart or gallon containers for replenishment to eliminate excessive bulk stock and to guarantee to the customer `the precise lubricant prescribed for his car. 'Ihe small sized containers make it necessary to use a lubricant transfer means which transfers the entire amount of lubricant in each container without loss or residuum and conveys such to generally inaccessible filler openings with minimum danger of such contaminations as those mentione Consequently, one of the objects of the present invention is for transferring lubricant from a container to an opening which is comparatively'inaccessible in a vertical direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for emptying and transferring the measured quantity of lubricant generally supplied in small sized individual shipping containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for transferring lubricant to a gear housing of an automobile without danger of contamination of the lubricant.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device for piercing vand emptying a sealed container of its liquid contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lubricant dispenser capable of priming itself and to provide animproved means ration, Chicago, Ill., a

assignor to clearing itself for the transfer of lubricant from a sealed container without residuum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described, which is simple in construction and operation, effective in its use and inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

,These being among the objects of the invention, other and further objects will become apparent from the drawings herein, the description relating thereto, and the appended claims, these and other objects being contemplated.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a construction illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation showing theoutward appearance of a portion of the construction shown sectionally in Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a magnied 'sectional view of that portion of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken upon the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that in Fig. 3 illustrating another form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in further detail, and particularly to Fig. l, the embodiment of the invention illustrated 'will bebetter comprehended when it is understood that a piston assembly Ill and cylinder I2 having a large displacement are employed to draw lubricant from a container I4 through a tube I6, which is adapted vto pierce the container as at I8, past a check valve 2U into a compartment 22 disposed in a casing 24. The lubricant thus drawn past the valve 20 is then forced by the return stroke of the piston assembly I0, past outlet valve 26 which opens from the compartment 22 into a passageway 28 leading through a crooked nozzle 30 adapted to reach and extend within an opening of a gear housing (not shown) for which the lubricant vis intended.

More specifically, the cylinder I2 is secured to the casing as by a threaded relationship at 32 at its working end and is provided with a, centrally apertured cap 34 at the other end. The piston assembly I0 is reciprocably operable in the cylinder I2 and comprises, briefly, a rod 36 disposed co-axial with the cylinder I2 and extending through the apertured cap 34 beyond whichl it terminates in a threaded end 38 receiving a handle 40 thereon. At its other end, the rod 36 is provided with a reduced threaded end portion 42 providing a shoulder44 against which oppositely facing cup washers 46 are held back to back between washers. as spaced by a reinforcing disk 50 and secured in assembled relation by the locked nut assembly 52 threaded upon the reduced end portion 42.

The tube I6 at its upper end is slidably re# ceived below a shoulder 53 in an enlarged cylindrical portion 54 of a passageway 56 in the casing 24 leading to the inlet valve20, and at its 2 other end the tube I6 is provided with an acute perforating edge 58 for penetrating the head 60 of the container I4 and a following edge 62 which is less acute for enlarging the opening initiated by the acute edge 58 as at I8 for the reception of the tube I6. The lower face 64 of the casing 24 is preferably made flat to rest against the top edge 66 of the container I4. Once the dis-j tance between the face 64' and the bottom 68 of the can is determined, the tube I6 is axially adjusted relative to the casing 24 in the cylindrical portion 54 where it is held in place by a set screw 10 threaded into the casing as at 12. The free end of the set screw is apertured as at 'I4 to receive a hexed wrench (not shown) for tightening.

A clamp is provided and preferably associated with the free end of the set screw 'I0 to hold the container I4 and the tube I6 in their described relationship. This clamp comprises a cross sectionally arcuate member 16 apertured as at 'I8 to telescope freely along the set screw 10. The concavity of the member 16 faces the container I4 with its axis parallel to the axis of the conv tainer. The edges 80 of the member 'I6 engage the sides of the container I4 and are notched as at 82 to register with the beaded portion 84 of the container I4 in an engagement preventing longitudinal displacement thereof.

A winged nut 86 is employed to draw the member 'I6 along the set screw 'I0 towards the container I4 to its full clamping relation whereby the inside face 88 of the container I4 is held against-the tube I6 and the container against longitudinal displacement relative thereto.

From the description thus far it will be observed that the set screw 10, when tightened, bears the thrust load imposed upon the tubeA I6 when it is forced downwardly through the head 60 into the sealed container I4 along one side 88 thereof. In event the set screw 'I0 happens vto be loose, purposely or otherwise, the shoulder 53 bears the load, and once the tube I6 advances through the opening I8 made by it, the tube I6 will drop to the bottom 68 of the container, after which the face 64 of the casing 24 is brought into contact with the top of the container |4 and the screw 10 tightened to hold the tube I6 in place. Thereafter` the winged nut 86 is turned toa position forcing the clamp member 'I6 into its operative position already described.

However, it will be appreciated that in event the invention is to be used continuously with containers I4 of the same size, and once the tube I6 isadjusted as to depth relative to the face 64 and the set screw 'I0 tightened to hold the tube I6 in place, further attention to this detail will be unnecessary and the clamp element 'I6 and winged nut 86 are the only membersy which need to be operated when replacing an emptied con.-

tainer with a new one.

In this way the invention accommodates any variations in sizes of cans used by various manufacturers of lubricant and in event an extremely deep containeris encountered, a tube I6 of longer length may be readily substituted and brought into operative position asV already described.

The crooked nozzle is secured to the casing '24 as by means of a headed bushing 90 threadedly engaging the casing as at 92. The passageway 20 where it extends through the bushing 90 is enlarged at both ends to provide first, an upwardly presenting shoulder 94 against which the inlet valve 20.

end of the crooked nozzle is brought to rest, andl the lower end of the bushing |02. The cross sec-l tional configuration of the ring |04 is of such dimensions that the upper inner marginal edge I|0 as tapered (see Fig. 3) provides a seat for the upper outlet valve 26, and its lower face provides an abutment for the spring I|2 which closes the The outlet valve 26 is preferably formed of pressed metal having a spherical contour II4 at its lower end and upwardly extending fingers I I6 engaging the inner face ||8 of the lower enlarged portion of the bushing 90 in a sliding guide relationship.

From the above description of the valve constructions it will be appreciated that both check valves 20 and 26 are assembled through the opening in the casing 24 into which the bushing 90 is threaded and are brought into and maintained in operative position by the respective springs and the ring valve-seat. In this way close manufacturing tolerances are obviated and expense reduced of making devices embodying the invention.

In addition to these details of construction, the inlet valve 20 as shown in Fig. 3 comprises a spherical valve seat engagingy head |20 supported by a reduced cylindrical shank portion |22 encircled by several turnsof the spring ||2 which, in conjunction with its tensioned shape and the foundation aiorded by thelower face of the ring |04, prevents the valve 20 from tilting out of operativeposition.

Another embodiment of the clamping device is illustrated in Fig. 5 where the set screw 10 and winged nut 86 heretofore described are made integral with each other to form a winged bolt ment' present with the cylinder' I2, the heavy lubricant in the container .I4 is drawn'intolll the tube |6 and past the inlet valve 20 under \the vacuum created by the piston assembly I0. Upon the return stroke of the piston assembly, the initial quantity of the lubricant drawn past the inlet valve 2,0 isforced past the outlet valve 26. This primes the device. Repeated reciprocations draw the bulk of lubricant from the container and force it through the crooked nozzle 30 from which air therein is harmlessly dis!l charged into the housing being filled.

When the container is approximately empty, the vacuum creatableby the suction stroke of a piston, draws air through the container against the top surface of the lubricant and, if the container is tilted slightly, when the level of the lubricant reaches the level of the inlet opening of the tube,v aspiration of the residuum takes place the casing 24 is enlarged forv let valve 26 and through the crooked nozzle 3D. y

It will be appreciated that the air is thus employedto carry the residuary lubricant to the gear housing and is vented harmlessly into the housing with the lubricant it carries.

In event it is found desirable to have the lowermost wall of the cylinder I2 level with or slightly above the compartment 22 in the casing 24, a re-arrangement of the threaded relationship 32 and associated constructions can be made without departing from the teaching of the invention. In such case the last ounces of lubricant remaining in the cylinder I2 will be entirely drained into the compartment 22 for ejection through the outlet valve 26. i

Other than this, the passageway leading from the working side of the piston assembly I to the compartment' 22 may be so shaped and formed as to create within the compartment 22, upon the last few .compression strokes, sufficient air and lubricant turbulence to carry the last vestige of lubricant from the compartment 22 through the nozzle 3U. f

Consequentiy, although several embodiments and modiations of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various and further uses, modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, "the scope of which is commensurate 4with the appended claims.

Whatis claimed is:

1. In a lubricant dispenser for sealed containers, the combination of a lubricant intake tube constructed to penetrate the head of said container and to extend to the bottom thereof,

`means for engaging the top of said container and adjustably supporting said tube, holding means carried by said top engaging means for holding said container relative to said top engaging means, and means for securing said holding means and tube in place with said tube in operative relationship relative to the bottom of said container.

2. A clamping device for a dispenser having an adjustable intake tube adapted to be inserted into a sealed container comprising an arcuate member engaging the sides of said container and notched to prevent longitudinal displacement thereof, and means for bringing said arcuate member and said tube into operative relation simultaneously to hold same in said relationship throughout the operation of emptying said container.

3. A low loss lubricant dispenserfor sealed containers comprising a suction tube of comparatively small cross-sectional contour constructedto penetrate and extend to the bottom of a container, a manually operated piston and cylinder of comparatively large displacement, a discharge conduit of comparatively small cross-sectional contour for conveying lubricant from said cylinder to a place of use, a casing supporting said tube, cylinder and conduit in assembled relation and having arestricted chamber in communication therewith, a check valve between said tube and chamber opening towards said chamber, a shoulder between said conduit and chamber facing away from said chamber, a ring valve seat resting upon said shoulder in sealed relationship therewith and supporting said check valve, a second check valve opening away from said chamber and closing against said ring valve seat between said conduit and said chamber, and means for holding said valves and ring valve seat in assembled and operative positions.

4. A low loss lubricant dispenser for sealed containers comprising a tube adapted to penetrate and extend to he bottom of a container,

' a manually operated piston and cylinder of comparatively large displacement, a discharge conduit for conveying lubricant from said cylinder to a place of use, a casing means supporting said tube in a plurality of positions and cylinder and conduit in assembled relation and having a restricted chamber in communication therewith, a check valve between said tube and chamber opening towards said chamber, a shoulder between said conduit and chamber facing away from said chamber, a ring valve seat resting upon said shoulder in sealed relationship therewith and supporting said check valve, a second check valve opening away from said chamber and closing against said ring valve seat between said conduit and said chamber, and means for holding said valves and ring valve seat in assembled and operative positions.

5. A clamping device for a dispenser withan adjustable intake tube insertable into a sealed container having an oiset portion in a wall thereof comprising an arcuate member engaging the sides of said container andl notched to mate with said offset portion to prevent relative longitudinal displacement thereof, and clamping means engaging said member and said tube for positioning and securing said tube and member 'd in 'correct relationship with said container throughout the operation of emptying said container.

6. In a dispenser provided with an intake tube telescoping with a conduit in a casing and in` sertable into a sealed container having an onset portion, a clamping device comprising an arcuate member engaging the sides of said container and notched to mate with said offset portion to prevent relative longitudinal displacement thereof, means supported by said casing for positioning and securing said tube in said conduit, and means carried by said clamping means and engaging said arcuate member to press the said member against the sides of said container in clamped relationship therewith tosupport said dispenser relative to said container throughout the operation of emptying said container.

7. A lubricant dispensing'device for attachment to a lubricant container having a beaded rim, comprising lubricant pumping means, a tube forming an inlet for said pumping means, and having an end formed to pierce the top of said container closely adjacent the side wall thereof, and a clamping element carried by said pumping means and conformed to engage said beaded rim at two points spacedV from said tube, whereby said pumping means may be rigidly secured to' 

